In the afternoon, 15-year-old Ahmed Nayef Wadi from Khan Yunis was wounded in the right foot by a live bullet fired by Israeli occupation soldiers. Wadi was demonstrating along with dozens of children on the space separating between Al-Amal neighborhood and “Gani Tal” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, when he was wounded.

At approximately 17:20, Israeli forces fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Al-Sheikh and Khellat Hadour neighborhoods in Hebron. Three Palestinian civilians were injured as follows:1) ‘Abdel-Rahman Khalil Shahin, 9, injured by shrapnel in the back and the limbs;2) Ziad ‘Ali Salahab, 36, seriously injured by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen and shrapnel throughout the body; and3) Rasmia Zakaria Salahab, 45, injured by shrapnel in the face and the chest. At approximately 18:30, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire with heavy and medium machine guns on Palestinian houses near the gate.

At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, thrust 100m into Qeshta neighborhood near Salah El-Din Gate the border with Egypt in Rafah. They demolished a 250-square-meter, three-story house, in which three families, comprising a total of 15 people, were living. Details of the families are as follows:1) The family of Samir Hassan Saleh El-Sha’er, comprised of six people;2) The family of Khaled Hassan Saleh El-Sha’er, comprised of five people; and 3) The family of Majed Hassan Saleh El-Sha’er, comprised of four people. Approximately half an hour later, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, thrust 100m into Zo’rob square opposite to a military site at the border with Egypt in Rafah. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the incursion lasted for one hour, during which the Israeli forces destroyed a 300-square-meter, one-story house, in which 12 people used to live, owned by Nasser and Ashraf Hussein ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Zo’rob. At approximately 09:00, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire on Palestinian houses at ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street, south of Rafah. Two Palestinian civilians were injured as follows:1) Hashem Ahmed El-Jamal, 62, injured by shrapnel in the left thigh and arm; and2) ‘Abdullah Salem El-Masri, 55, injured by shrapnel in the right shoulder and leg. In the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, shelled Palestinian houses in Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp.

Ramzi Yousef El-Samhouri, 16, was injured by shrapnel in the right arm. At approximately 18:15, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in settlements in the occupied part of Hebron, and at demarcation lines, opened fire from heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Al-Sheikh and Khellat Hadour neighborhoods and some streets of the city.

As a result of the shelling, which lasted for more than three hours, 13 houses were severely damaged, and five civilians were injured as follows:1) Mahmoud ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu Hadid, 7, injured by shrapnel in the face;2) Hani ‘Abdel-Jalil El-Qudsi, 12, injured by shrapnel in the left elbow;3) Yusri ‘Abbas Eskafi 20, injured by shrapnel in the left eyebrow;4) Bilal ‘Arif El-Atrash, 22, injured by shrapnel in the right ankle; and5) Mohammed Jamil Salhab, 63, injured by a live bullet in the right armpit.

At approximately 01:00 local time, after an exchange of fire with Palestinian gunmen, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire indiscriminately on ‘Omar Ben El-Khattab Street in Rafah. The gunfire continued up to 03:00 local time, during which time medical personnel were not able to reach the area.

At approximately 06:00 local time, school children discovered the body of a young man opposite a shop at the western side of the street, approximately 600m north of the border. An ambulance evacuated the body to Al-Joneina Hospital in Rafah. The young man had been hit by two live bullets in the back and the right thigh. Physicians asserted that he died at least two hours before his body was brought to hospital. According to information gathered by PCHR, the victim was shot when he was on ‘Omar Ben El-Khattab Street. Since no one was in the area, and no ambulances were able to reach the area then, he continued to bleed until he died.

The victim was identified as ‘Abdel-Salam Mohammed Ahmed Hassan (‘Oleyan), 35, from Rafah refugee camp, father of 7 children. Hassan was suffering from schizophrenia as a result of having been tortured in Israeli jails in 1987. At approximately 06:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at a military roadblock near ‘Azzoun village in Qalqilya, fired at a number of Palestinian laborers who were on their way to work inside the Green Line. Two laborers were wounded:1) Fadi Ahmed Darwish, 22, from Bedia village in Salafit, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg; and2) Maher Mohammed El-Dalu, 25, also from Bedia village, wounded by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the shoulder. At approximately 08:00 local time, school children in most schools of Al-Boreij and Nuseirat refugee camps in the middle area of the Gaza Strip went out of their schools, and organized a march in commemoration of the Sabra and Sahatila massacres which left hundreds of Palestinian refugees dead in 1982. The Israeli Prime Minster, Ariel Sharon, has been accused of being involved in these massacres. PCHR’s field officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported that around 400 students moved north towards Al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza City. They gathered more than 150m to the south of an Israeli military location at the junction, set fire to tires, and threw stones towards Israeli soldiers, who responded by firing live ammunition and tear gas canisters. Eight demonstrators were wounded as follows:1) Sami ‘Aadel ‘Abdel-Salam, 17, from Al-Boreij, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand;2) Nasser Jamal El-Majdalawi, 12, from Nuseirat, wounded by a live bullet in the head;3) Ahmed Mohammed El-Sous, 15, from Al-Boreij, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand;4) Mohammed Sami Abu Shu’ira, 14, from Nuseirat, seriously wounded by a live bullet that entered the right hand and settled in the abdomen;5) ‘Abdullah Ahmed El-Asmar, 17, from Nuseirat, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;6) Ibrahim Khalil Khattab, 16, from Nuseirat, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot;7) Hassan Salim El-‘Atawna, 15, from Nuseirat, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg; and8) ‘Ali ‘Ali El-‘Abid, 15, from Nuseirat, wounded by a live bullet in the back. At approximately 10:00 local time, a number of Palestinian civilians, including students of Bir Zeit University, attempted to cross an Israeli military roadblock at Surda junction on Ramallah-Bir Zeit road, on foot. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at them, and beat others as well. Maher ‘Abdel-Rahman Saleh, 33, from ‘Aaroura village north of Ramallah, was injured by a stun grenade in his hand, and other civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. At approximately 12:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at a military roadblock near Qalandya Airport, fired at a number of Palestinian civilians who were attempting to cross a roadblock. ‘Alla’ ‘Abbas ‘Oweisa, 22, from Al-Lubban village in Ramallah, was wounded by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the right hand.

At approximately 03:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, moved in Um Al-Sharayet neighborhood in the south of Ramallah. They intruded approximately 800 from three directions into areas under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority, under the cover of intensive shelling.

A Palestinian civilian, ‘Ali Khader Jaber Yassin, 25, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), Yassin was killed while he was atop his house, observing the incursion by Israeli forces into his area. Furthermore, 15 Palestinians were also injured:1) ‘Aadel Farid Thabet, 25, seriously injured by a live bullet that entered the abdomen and exited the back;2) Haitham Wasfi Eqdeih, 23, seriously injured by a live bullet in the head;3) Younis ‘Ali Mohammed Massa’id, 25, seriously injured by a live bullet in the chest;4) Husni ‘Ali Mohammed Zureiq, 29, injured by shrapnel in the left foot;5) Mohammed Sha’ban El-Tartir, 25, injured by two live bullets in the hands;6) Mahmoud El-‘Aarda, 30, injured by shrapnel in the legs;7) Samer ‘Aakef ‘Aadel El-Deisi, 19, injured by a live bullet in the right thigh;8) ‘Alla’ ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Zureiq, 24, injured by a live bullet in the right leg;9) Sa’ed Suleiman El-Lahham, 24, injured by shrapnel in the legs;10) Yousef ‘Abdel-Rahim El-Khatib, 15, injured by a live bullet in the buttocks;11) Yousef Ahmed ‘Abdullah Abu Taher, 20, injured by shrapnel in the hand;12) Muntasser Makhlouf, 28, injured by a live bullet in the left hand;13) ‘Adnan ‘Abdel-Ghani Bader, 32, injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the face;14) Hassan ‘Oudeh Ya’qoub, 29, injured by a live bullet in the back; and15) Samih ‘Ali Karakra, 42, injured by a live bullet in the right hand. Furthermore, eight houses were severely damaged and five civilian cars were totally destroyed. A three-story building of Fatah Movement was also hit by two rockets fired by an Israeli combat helicopter at approximately 04:50. The building was severely damaged

At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, moved towards a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces at the southern entrance of Um Al-Sharayet neighborhood in the south of Ramallah. They took position approximately 300m away from the Palestinian roadblock and opened fire with heavy and medium machine guns.

Then, gunfire was exchanged between the Israeli forces and Palestinian security men who moved back. Israeli forces fired artillery shells at the area and thrust some meters into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority. Six Palestinians, three civilians and three security men, were injured:1) Ashraf Nadim Nayef Ma’ali, 19, a civilian, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;2) Ussama ‘Awni Mohammed Abu Kuweil, 23, a civilian, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;3) Muhannad Rashad Saleh El-Salehi, 23, a civilian, injured by shrapnel in the left leg;4) Ra’ad Hassan El-Barghouthi, 20, a security man, injured by shrapnel in the face and chest;5) Ziad Mohammed ‘Abdel-Fattah, 26, a security man, injured by shrapnel in the left hand and the right side; and6) Fadi Mohammed Shalat, 20, a security man, injured by shrapnel in the head and the right hand. At approximately 10:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, intruded approximately 300m into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority, north of Al-Qarara village near Khan Yunis. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and sycamores, owned by Farouq Hamdi El-Farra. In the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces shelled Palestinian security sites and facilities in Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Gaza City, using combat helicopters and surface-to-surface missiles. At approximately 12:00, Israeli forces launched two surface-to-surface missiles from Israeli territories at a police station in Rafah.

The first missile hit an building filled with administrative offices, causing severe damage, while the other missile hit a storehouse near the gate of the station, setting it on fire.

Nine Palestinians, mostly policemen, were injured, while a civilian car that stopped near the police station was severely damaged. According to medical sources at Al-Joneina Hospital in Rafah, three Palestinians were injured by shrapnel while others were injured as a result of falling.

An 11-year-old child, Alla’ Sa’d Abu Jazar, received bruises in the right ankle while she was on her way back home from school. Those injured by shrapnel were:1) Tayseer Jaber ‘Afaneh, 43, injured by shrapnel in the face and the abdomen;2) Yousef Mousa El-Akhras, 25, injured by shrapnel in the right foot; and3) ‘Emad Na’im Nasser, 37, injured by shrapnel in the left ear. At the same time, two Israeli combat helicopters bombarded a site of the Palestinian Marine Police in Nuseirat refugee camp. The site was hit by two rockets that destroyed it partially.

A passing Palestinian civilian, Salameh Mahmoud El-Neweiri, 21, was injured by shrapnel in the abdomen. He was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. At approximately 12:30, two Israeli combat helicopters, thought to be the same ones which bombarded Nusseirat, fired 8 rockets at a Palestinian Military Intelligence Service installation in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City. The rockets hit the building directly, wounding two of its members:1) Mustafa Mahmoud ‘Oudeh, 20, from Nuseirat refugee camp, seriously injured by shrapnel throughout the body and fingers of his left hand, except for the thumb, were cut; and2) Salameh Mohammed Neweiri, 18, from Nusseirat, injured by shrapnel in the abdomen. At approximately 22:20, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the entrance to “Psagot” settlement, east of Al-Bireh, started firing artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses near the Hashimite School.

Khaled Jamal Qar’an, 24, was injured by shrapnel in the mouth and the face, and some of his teeth were broken. At approximately 22:30, Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Al-Eskan and Karkaba neighborhoods, the tourist village and the Christian Youth Society Street at the center of Beit Sahour.

At approximately 22:45 an ambulance of the Palestinian Civil Defense was fired at by Israeli forces from a distance of approximately 1,200m, while its personnel were offering medical help to people in the northeast of Beit Sahour.

When medics were able to get out of the vehicle, an artillery shell hit one of them, Yahia Nasser Hassan El-Sayah, 21, from the Bedouin Village in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, killing him instantly. Two medics were also injured by shrapnel as follows:1) Mohammed Ibrahim ‘Aayesh Joudeh, 24, from Bethlehem, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and2) Mu’taz Mohammed ‘Eissa, from Beit Sahour, injured by shrapnel throughout the body.

At approximately 19:00, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with three tanks and a bulldozer, moved into Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. They fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at the town, especially at Al-Sekka Street, into which Israeli forces moved approximately 1,200m. Palestinians living in the area left their houses, fearing for their lives.

Four Palestinians were injured, including Mohammed Ramadan El-Kafarna, 25, a member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service, who was seriously injured by shrapnel from an artillery shell in the head. He was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City, where he was pronounced dead on Monday, September 17, 2001.

According to PCHR’s investigations, El-Kafarna was with some civilians near a wastewater facility at Al-Sekka Street, approximately 2,200m away from the fence of Erez area, under the control of Israeli forces. Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at them, injuring El-Kafarna and three other civilians:1) Ramzi Ahmed Abu ‘oudeh, 28, from Beit Hanoun, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) Bilal ‘Abdel-Jabbar Hamad, 27, from Beit Hanoun, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and3) Samir ‘Eissa ‘Azzam, 20, from Beit Hanoun, injured by shrapnel throughout the body. During this incursion, which continued up to 02:30 on the following day, Israeli forces destroyed and damaged some houses, civilian facilities and areas of agricultural land. Following are details of damages:1) Two rooms and a part of the fence of a 200-square-meter, one-story house, owned by ‘Atta ‘Attaya Hussein Sweilem, were demolished. The house was evacuated several months ago, because it is very close to the border and was frequently shelled by Israeli forces.2) A rest house and a storehouse for agricultural equipment, which stood on a 200-square-meter area of land, owned by Nayef Mohammed ‘Eid ‘Ayyad, were totally destroyed.3) A rest house, a storehouse of agricultural equipment and a well, which stood on a 450-square-meter area of land, owned by ‘eid Basiouni ‘Abdullah Hassan, were totally destroyed.4) Pillars of the second floor of a newly-built, 330-square-meter, two-story house, owned by Jalal Sehadeh Sa’id Hamdan, were demolished by a bulldozer. The house is approximately 1,200m away from the border and is no longer fit for habitation.5) Bullets made holes in the walls of a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which 8 people live, owned by Jamal Mohammed Hussein Sweilem. The house is approximately 350m away from the border.6) Bullets made holes in the walls of a 130-square-meter, two-story house, and a nearby 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed building, in which 12 people live, owned by Hussein Mohammed Hussein Sweilem. The house and the building are approximately 1,000m away from the border.7) Bullets made holes into walls of a 185-square-meter, two-story house, in which 8 people live, owned by Jamal Mohammed Hussein El-Kafarna. Five windows broke and a water tank was damaged. The house is approximately 1,400m away from the border.8) Bullets made holes into walls of a 150-square-meter, one-story house, in which 5 people live, owned by ‘Azzam Yousef ‘Abdel-Karim Hamad. The house is approximately 1,700m away from the border.9) A 150-square-meter, one-story house, in which 12 people live, owned by Kamal Mohammed Hussein Sweilem, cracked and a nearby rest house was demolished. 10) A Chevrolet car of the Palestinian Border Forces was destroyed by an artillery shell. 11) A 500-square-meter wastewater facility was hit by two artillery shells, which led to partial destruction, and a nearby electricity transmitter was severely damaged.12) The Israeli forces razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mousa Tawfiq Hamad. 13) The Israeli forces razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mohammed Hussein Sweilem.14) An artillery shell fell onto a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with sugarcanes, completely burning it. Late at night, Israeli occupation forces shelled Palestinian houses in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis. Two Palestinian civilians were killed:3)‘Emad Hasehm Rajab Khalaf, 19, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, killed by three heavy caliber bullets in the head, the chest and the left leg; and4)Mohammed Walid Mustafa El-Dajani, 18, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head, which broke made an 8cm a hole in his skull. According to investigations carried out by PCHR, Khalf and El-Dajani were not armed and did not participate in any action against Israeli forces. They were killed willfully by Israeli forces.

At approximately 23:30, while an Israeli military bulldozer was leveling areas of land adjacent to “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in Khan Yunis, Israeli forces, positioned in a military post near the settlement, opened fire on the Palestinian neighborhood. At approximately 00:00, Khalaf and El-Dajani went to the area to help its people. When they arrived at the area, they sought shelter behind a wall of Nasser El-Din El-Albani Mosque when Israeli forces fired at them.

At approximately 00:15, a number of young men went to the area, searching for them. They found them lying on the ground. El-Dajani was dead, but Khalaf was seriously injured. He was evacuated to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where he was pronounced dead at 02:00.

At approximately 00:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, moved into Jericho under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted ‘Aqabat Jaber refugee camp and residential areas in the cities. The Israeli forces entered the city from two directions. Some units entered the city from the south towards the parks in the centre of the city, and other units entered the city from the north.

During the shelling and incursion, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Mohammed Ghazi El-Shalawani, 39, was seriously wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. He was evacuated to Jericho Hospital. On Monday, September 17, 2001, he was pronounced dead. At approximately 02:45, Israeli occupation forces again shelled and encroached into Jenin, which had been under a strict siege since Monday, September 10, 2001. They intensively shelled the city, especially Al-Zahra’ neighborhood at the center of the city, while tanks and military vehicles intruded approximately 3.5km into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority.

They destroyed the headquarters of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service and the Preventive Security Service. One hour later, they withdrew.

During this incursion, three Palestinians, including two civilians, were killed and eight were wounded. Raja’ Saleh Fureihat, 24, from Jenin, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet when her house in Al-Zahra’ neighborhood was shelled.

Her relative, Fakhri Mustafa Suleit Fureihat, 32, who went to offer help to his relatives, was also killed by a heavy caliber bullet. In the same incident, Baker Hussein Esteitia, 24, was injured by shrapnel in the left hand and leg.

Furthermore, Khattab ‘Abdel-Fattah Jabarin, 33, from Jenin refugee camp, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the chest, while he was participating in confronting the invading forces. Seven Palestinians were also injured as follows:1) ‘Alla’ ‘Essam Suleiti, 27, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) ‘Arafat Mustafa Suleit, 23, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;3) Riad Mustafa Suleit, 17, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;4) Samir Mustafa Suleit, 29, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;5) Rami Ibrahim Suleit, 17, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;6) Khaled Mar’I Eghbaria, 24, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and7) Muhsen Qadri Bathour, 24, injured by shrapnel throughout the body.

In the second incident of its kind in less than 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian civilian and injured two who were traveling in a taxi. According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 08:00 local time, a Palestinian taxi was traveling from Gaza City towards Khan Yunis. It had to cross an Israeli roadblock at Al-Matahen junction.

Three passengers in addition to the driver were traveling in the taxi. In his testimony to PCHR, one of the passengers, ‘Awadh Sha’ban Sa’id Abu Seif, 25, from Jabalya refugee camp, said:

“I was sitting on the middle seat of the car. My relative, Radwan Mohammed Mustafa Abu Seif, 47, was sitting beside me. A third passenger was sitting on the front seat near the driver. When we arrived at Al-Matehn junction, the traffic light was red. Another car was traveling in front, waiting for the green sign. When the traffic light became green, the car in front of us crossed the junction.

Then our car moved forward. As soon as we were opposite to the Israeli military observation tower at the junction, we were surprised by intensive shooting at us from the tower. I discovered that I was injured in the hand. The driver moved fast towards Khan Yunis, escaping from gunfire.”

A passenger who was sitting on the front seat near the driver, ‘Aamer Hamdi Ziada, 21, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, was killed by two live bullets in the chest and the left shoulder.

Sha’ban Abu Seif was injured in the hand by a live bullet that cut the thumb, and Radwan Abu Seif was injured by a live bullet in the left shoulder. The car was severely damaged.

At approximately 14:00 local time, a number of Palestinian young men and children demonstrated in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in Khan Yunis after the funeral of Martyr Mohammed Dhib Abu Shaqfa. Palestinian demonstrators threw stones at Israeli military sites in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim.” Israeli soldiers fired at demonstrators, wounding five as follows:

1) Khaled ‘Abdel-Nasser El-Farra, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the right foot;2) Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Tayeh, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand;3) Adham ‘Abed Zo’rob, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot;4) Hamdi Jihad Barbakh, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot; and5) Wahid Yassin Barbakh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh.

The Israeli occupation continued to impose a strict siege on the city of Jenin. Early in the morning, they resumed shelling the city. Such shelling, which lasted from 00:00 to 02:00 local time, targeted Al-Zaharneh neighborhood in the west of the city. More than 90 artillery shells hit Palestinian houses, causing severe damge.

Also early in the morning, Muhannad Raja Abu El-Haija, 25, was killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell in the head, when the Israeli occupation forces shelled his house in Jenin. In the meanwhile, the Israeli occupation forces moved into the city from three directions, the east, the west and the south, towards the center of the city. They besieged the Palestinian governmental compound, known as “Al-Muqata’a,” and destroyed it with dozens of bombs. They also put some bombs in a Palestinian police station and left the area before they explode. They withdrew to the areas which they had reoccupied on Tuesday.

As a result of the indiscriminate shelling by the Israeli occupation forces, dozens of Palestinians, including two journalists who were on duty, were injured. The journalists are:

1) ‘Ali Sadiq El-Samoudi, 37, from Jenin, correspondent of Al-Ayyam daily local newspaper, injured by shrapnel in the legs; and2) Seif Shawqi El-Dahla, 27, from Jenin, correspondent of the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa), injured by shrapnel in the abdomen, the pelvis and the thighs.

The following were among those who were injured:

1) Nabil ‘Abdel-Rahman Sabbah, 15, seriously injured by shrapnel in the head and the back;2) Marah Mohammed Abu Sirreya, ½, received burns in the face;3) Eihab Ayman Esteitia, 10, injured by shrapnel in the left leg;4) Suha Sa’id Khamaysa, 14, injured by shrapnel in the left foot;5) Samer Mohammed Qarini, 16, injured by shrapnel in the neck;6) Lu’ai Amin Dhabaia, 16, injured by shrapnel in the head;7) Khalil Hassan Fadhala, 17, injured by shrapnel in the back;8) Mustafa Faisal Abu Sirreya, 19, injured by shrapnel in the right leg;9) ‘Omar ‘Adnan Nu’eirat, 21, seriously injured by a medium caliber bullet in the back;10) Ahmed Fathi Abu Baker, 19, injured by shrapnel in the right leg;11) Yousef Zuhair Gharib, 19, injured by shrapnel in the shoulder;12) Mohammed Ibrahim ‘Eid, 20, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;13) Fadhel Khaled Masharqa, 41, injured by shrapnel in the head;14) Amjad ‘Abdel-Rahman Zakarna, 19, inured by a live bullet in the left leg;15) Amjad Faisal Abu Sirreya, 21, inured by two live bullets in the legs;16) Muhannad ‘Eissa Wishahi, 19, injured by shrapnel in the head;17) ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Oweis, 27, injured by shrapnel in the right eye;18) Mahmoud Ahmed El-Dik, 44, injured by shrapnel in the head;19) Rami Ahmed Abu Shahla, 19, injured by shrapnel in the face;20) Mohammed Ghazi Mahajna, 21, from Al-Taybeh, injured by shrapnel in the back and the left leg;21) Mohammed Qassem Jaradat, 28, injured by shrapnel in the right leg;22) Mohammed Hassan Abu Rumeila, 29, injured by a live bullet in the left leg;23) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Fattah ‘Aamoudi, 31, injured by shrapnel in the left knee;24) Mohammed Mustafa ‘Arqawi, 23, injured by shrapnel in the left eye;25) Hassan ‘Abdullah Abu Sirreya, 24, received burns in the face; 26) Yasser Amin Nazzal, 27, injured by a live bullet in the hand; and27) Firas Mahmoud Abu El-Haija, 21, injured by shrapnel in the left hand.

At approximately 01:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Gadid” and “Neve Dekalim” settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire from heavy and medium machine guns on Al-Nemswai neighborhood and Bayten Al-Samin area, a number of houses were damaged.

At approximately 06:00 local time, Israeli combat helicopters opened fire from heavy machine guns on a Palestinian car, in which Tha’er Muhsen Mhdawi, 28, from Al-Far’a refugee camp, killing him instantly with several heavy caliber bullets.

Mahdawi, an officer of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Toubas, traveled in his car to Tmmoun village, after he received information that commando units of the Israeli occupation forces entered the village. Later, Lieutenant Colonel Tawfiq Ibrahim Hussein Jaber, 42, from Qalqilya, and members of the security service went to the place of the incident.

As soon as they arrived at the area, Israeli combat helicopters opened fire from heavy machine guns on their car. Jaber and one of his colleagues, Shaher Ahmed ‘Abdel-Raziq Bani ‘Oudeh, 28, from Tammoun village, were instantly killed.

Then, the Israeli occupation forces moved into Tammoun village and demolished the house of Martyr Mohammed Ahmed Bisharat, 28, whom the Israeli occupation forces assassinated on July 1, 2001, along with Walid Easmi Bisharat, 20, and Sameh Nouri Abu Huneish, 22, from Beit Dajan village near Nablus. The Israeli occupation forces also demolished a bridge at the entrance of Tammoun, the only exit for Palestinians.

In the meanwhile, Israeli combat helicopters fired two rockets at the house of Fawaz Saleh Bani ‘Oudeh, totally destroying it. They also attacked the building of the Palestinian National Security Forces with three rockets, totally destroying it. In addition, they fired a rocket at a Palestinian civilian car that was traveling near Tammoun.

The car was destroyed and its driver, ‘Aamer Walid Abu ‘Erra, from Aqaba village, was seriously injured. Shelling of Tammoun village resulted in injuries to 17 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

At approximately 06:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks thrust approximately 50m into Block “J” area in Rafah refugee camp. They opened fire from heavy and light machine guns on Palestinian houses.

Yahia Hassan El-Masri, 38, was seriously injured by a live bullet in the abdomen. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina Hospital in Rafah.

At approximately 11:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces resumed shelling of Jenin, using artillery shells and heavy machine guns.

‘Adila Hussein Zeidan, 38, was injured by a heavy caliber bullet in the jaw, while she was in the kitchen of her house in Al-Jabriat neighborhood.

Continued Assassinations and Extra-Judicial Killings

On Wednesday morning, at approximately 05:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, under an air cover by combat helicopters, moved into ‘Aarrabeh village, south of Nablus. They destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces. They moved towards the house of Sufian Ahmed Tawfiq El-‘Aarda, 28, an Islamic Jihad activist.

El-‘Aarda was on the second floor of the house with two other Islamic Jihad activists, Wa’el Mutlaq ‘Assaf, 20, from ‘Arrabeh, and As’ad ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu Daqqa, 25, from ‘Attil village near Tulkarm.

Israeli forces opened fire from heavy machine guns on them. El-‘Aarda was wounded by two heavy caliber bullets in the head and the chest, and his colleagues were killed. His family attempted to evacuate him from the house into an ambulance that was travelling to Tulkram. However, Israeli soldiers chased the ambulance and arrested him. Later, Israeli radio reported that he died.

Haitham El-‘Aarda, 31, moved to the second floor after his brother had been evacuated, trying to offer help to the other two victims. He was killed by two heavy caliber bullets in the chest and the shoulder.

When she heard cries of her brother, Balqis, 14, moved to the second floor to help him. Then, Israeli soldiers called on the family by loudspeakers to leave it. An Israeli combat helicopter attacked the house with two rockets.

Balqis was killed, and two civilians, who came to offer help to the family, were injured as follows: